Seeking advice for attribute points for Defense/Storm

[CacoSteven]

I'm totally lost on what to do for attribute points for this paladin build. Str, dex, int, health, energy? For Storm I'm planning on maining Storm Nimbus, Squall, Wisp and all of their relative passives. For Defense, I plan to main Colossus, Quick Recovery, Shield Charge, and Rally.

Any ideas? I was planning on something like this: http://www.titancalc.com/TitanCalc.asp?mastery=Paladin&master1=8&master2=5&sa=0&m1=32-0-10-0-0-8-0-0-12-0-0-0-6-12-0-0-16-0-0-8-0-0&m2=32-0-0-0-6-0-12-8-6-0-0-12-6-0-6-0-0-6-10-8-6-0

Thanks in advance!

[Mivo]

Some comments, none of them based on playing this particular build (I haven't):

I'd shift some of the Shield Charge points (1 is enough in the main skill) to Batter, and some from the Rally tree to Batter's synergy. Then make Batter your left-click skill. Otherwise you'll be auto-attacking nearly the whole time, which isn't that much fun. Batter is really nice.

As for stats, since you'll be primarily a melee character, I would go for a 1:1 STR/DEX distribution formula. You need the STR for melee damage, and you need the DEX so you can go toe to toe with mobs. No points in energy. INT is tricky insofar that it would help your Squall damage, but I'm not even sure Squall is a good choice for this build, but it has potential and damage isn't really necessarily what you want from it. I would leave INT at the base value.

Health, well, it's really a "play by ear" thing. I don't think you need to invest any points into it early on, there is plenty of gear with health bonuses around. I'd do the 1:1 STR/DEX thing for the first 40-ish levels and see where that lands you HP-wise by the end of normal (assuming your masteries are maxed or almost maxed by then) and where your Defensive Ability (DA) is at. You could then (40-ish and after) alternate between 1:1 STR/DEX and 1:1 STR/Health It's also fairly safe to put the 18 bonus stat points from quests into health. A lot depends on your gear, how much you are willing to vendor shop or farm for Hale/etc gear that gives you x% modifiers for stats.

It'll be tempting to put points into energy, but I really would not. You will be quaffing a lot of energy potions with a build like this, but get some energy on gear and just keep drinking the potions. :) I'd probably rethink Squall. The energy cost is steep.

This assumes you plan to play this character as a melee build. I'd go differently about it for a caster paladin.

[hedgewitch]

You have an awful lot of points in the Rally tree--and none in Battle Standard--I would even that out, with just one point in the base skill, and the rest in the passives. The added healing or damage from points in the base is usually not enough to justify the point investment, and you should get enough from plus-skills gear with just 1. Same with Storm Surge---1-2 points is plenty. Maxing Squall is pretty standard for this build on RMB, for a debuff in melee and for archers, so that looks good. Sheild charge is a good skill, and can be LMB, or you can go with Batter with the debuff of Rend Armor, but you have Squall for that, so I'm thinking Sheild Charge there. It's also more useful for closing on mobs. Quick Recovery looks good, but you may want to also max Concussive Blow if you plan on using a mace or axe--(I am using swords, because I prefer the speed) Anyway, this is how I am doing it for now--working pretty good at level 30:

http://www.titancalc.com/TitanCalc.asp?mastery=Paladin&master1=8&master2=5&sa=21&m1=32-0-10-0-0-8-0-0-12-0-0-0-6-12-0-0-1-4-0-1-0-0&m2=32-0-1-0-6-1-1-8-6-6-6-1-1-0-6-8-1-6-12-8-6-0

Attributes are 1:1 Str and Dex til about level 30--then I would pump strength unless you are using piercing damage primarily(like a spear.) (You can use charms, rings etc, for an INT boost to help your elemental damage.) If you feel your lifepool isn;t high enough, throw a few points into health--never a waste in this game. Enjoy your pally!

[CacoSteven]

Some interesting suggestions, thanks guy. Btw, this is also my first TQ character ever, so I wasn't sure how many skill and attributes you get from quest rewards throughtout the game. I'm only level 6-7 at the moment.

My original intention was to create sort of a vengeance/conviction pally, like in D2 (pally was my favorite class). Hence why I gravitated to Squall, its passive, and Storm Nimbus. Obscured Visibilty reminded me of the pally skill Conviction that reduced enemy resistances and Storm Nimbus, with its passives, are like Vengeance, an elemental melee damage skill.

I might take Mivo's suggestion and go with 1 point in Shield Charge. Now that I remember, Charge in D2 was also a 1 point wonder skill, mainly used for mobility in fights, unless you were PvP'ing.

Is the Wisp that disappointing? I've noticed many put only 1 point in it. I was kind of disappointed you can't hire any mercs or hirelings in TQ, so I figured I'd make the Wisp as a companion. But if it's really "meh", I might drop it or just invest 1 point in it.

Anyway, thankfully skills can be reset throughtout the game (for a price), so I can always tinker around with things. It was mainly the attributes I was concerned about because those, unlike skills points, get etched in stone, so to speak, and I wasn't sure how important intelligence would be for a build like this. I was worried my attributes would be spread too thin by trying to juggle str, dex, and int.

Cheers guys!

[hedgewitch]

I had an invincible(well almost) pally in D2--loved that class--and yes, those skills you mention are very comparablle. AFA the Wisp, it's almost indestructible, even at one point, and later in the game, putting points into its passive skill will add to your elemental damage, so no need to skip it. Besides, it's company. ;_) Remember, you will have gear from mid game or so on that will add skill points, so that's why there's no need to invest as many of your meager allotment in things that don;t greatly benefit from tons of points.

[UndeadUnbug]

I'd build something like this http://www.titancalc.com/TitanCalc.asp?mastery=Paladin&master1=8&master2=5&sa=0&m1=32-0-1-0-0-8-0-0-12-0-0-0-6-0-0-0-1-1-0-8-0-0-0&m2=32-1-1-1-6-1-0-8-6-6-6-1-0-1-6-8-6-1-0-1-6-0-0 with 3:2 str dex. Btw sqaull is one of the best skills in the game, it makes all this nasty packs of archers and mages unable to do anything to you.